qcpmsame 

Already previewed this one, my newest project began last week and the frameset arrived Wednesday afternoon. The various parts and components that are in hand have been disassembled and cleaned, then reassembled carefully. I've used several ideas and tips others have posted here in their builds, I am indebted to all of them for teaching me how this should be done.

A couple of points, this frame set may have already been posted here, flash2070 apparently owned this previously and posted about it in both the Tommasini Lounge, and the Show Us Your Pink Bike, threads. The missing paint and such blemishes are matching as best as I can make out. And, no serial number can be located anywhere. Is this unusual for Tommasini frames/bicycles? I didn't catch any serial numbers listed in the "Lounge" thread, I may have missed this though. Also, if anyone knows of a good resource for history of the Tommasini firm, and Irio Tommasini please direct me to them

There are two charters stamped on the BB shell, "H2", no idea as to what this signifies. I looked over the drops and lugs carefully, unless a serial number has been filled or filed away, there isn't one I can identify. If anyone can tell me where to look, and what to look for, please sing out.

Here are a few quick pictures, so that it really has happened, please excuse the poor quality of these phone pictures. I'll have more pics as this progresses, taken with a digital camera.

Spaghetti Legs 

Alright, have fun! I spy a Super Recd RD on the work bench.

My Tommy just has a size stamped on the BB. Reading through old threads, people had success contacting Barbara Tommasini directly for info, but I got no reply to my request a couple of years ago.

Post updates!

pastorbobnlnh 

Looking forward to seeing this built. Bill you do great work! I spy a re-purposed yogurt container! My wife gives me grief for collecting these, but they are perfect for use in the Freewheel Spa and the bike shop!

pastorbobnlnh 

Speaking of Tommasini...

Spotted at Woody's Cycle in Sewanee, TN earlier today. Looks a little like @jimmuller 's new frameset.

DMC707

Cool !

Always wanted a pink Italian frameset, but am always a day late/ dollar short when one shows up in my price range ----

Makes a very nice homage to the Giro !

jimmuller 

Great stuff, guys. I'm slowly collecting components for mine. It does look like that one hanging from the rafters but not as decorated. Bill, keep us posted. I may even infringe on this thread to post mine.

(Unfortunately the fluorescent lights in our basement decided to stop working this morning so I have no functional workspace unless I bring everything up to the living room. Maybe tomorrow...)

Kevindale

I think I mentioned this in another recent thread, but I've been trying to collect any info I can find of Tommasini BB stampings, and they definitely did not use serial numbers per se, at least through the 80s. I haven't looked to see if serial numbers are present on more modern Tommasinis. The older ones seem to either have nothing, or a 2- or (rarely) 3-number code. Mine has '30' stamped, and I've seen '13' and '62' and '176' stamped on others. On another forum it was claimed the '176' meant 'special small series.' It was on a 52-53 cm frame (which doesn't seem that especially small for that era).

There was also a '87 US' described with 'MN' on the other side of the BB shell, and this was identified here back in 2007 as a Super Prestige from 1987 with "MN" being the code for the paint: Marmo Nero (Marble Black). In that same old BF thread someone posted in 2015 (without photo) about a Tommasini with '911 U' stamped on the BB, but they gave zero further info about the bike and never posted again. I suspect that was a more recent frame, and I'd love to know what the stampings are on Tommasinis from the 1990s to the present look like.

It seems really hit or miss if there is any BB shell stamping back in the 70s-80s, and I'm at the point of thinking I'm looking for a pattern that doesn't exist during those years. Your 'H2' doesn't seem to connect any dots.

Looking forward to seeing more photos!

gomango

Fun thread.

Love the pink frameset.

FWIW I'm down to my last Tommasini frameset. I've been sitting on this Sintesi and parts box for three years.

Been pretty lazy about it, but it would be a pretty bike when built.

[IMG]DSCN1297 by gomango1849, on Flickr[/IMG]

Saguaro

Here's a photo of the bottom bracket of my 1991 Tommasini Competizione:



You can see the shell is stamped: 02 US

I sent this photo and others to Barbara at the Tommasini factory and she confirmed it was a 1991 Tommasini Competizione. She said these were made for the US market only in the '90's in order to "offer a top quality frame like the Prestige with a more competitive price".

Here is a recent photo of the bike as configured today:



Just returned from a 36 mile ride on this bike, super fun to ride!

qcpmsame 

@Saguaro
That is a nice looking Competizione you have. Must be a seriously fun ride, and I like your set up.
@Kevindale, thanks for that info, more than I knew when I started out. I simply like the look and craftsmanship of the Tommasini frames, ever since reading about them here, and in various periodicals. Irio seems to be well thought of as a frame builder/designer, including among the legendary men in Italy. My frame is in better shape than I was hoping for, just a bit if surface rust spots, nothing seems to have penetrated deeply at all, thank goodness.

I am planning on just cleaning up everything and clear coating the bare spots, possibly like Realsteel did on his Holdsworth project, last year. No stripping and repainting, not necessary, the little there is won't be worth repainting since the paint job is in really good nick overall. It will get polished with a quality wax, and I went over the chrome fork and chain stay inside, with aluminum foil and water last night.

Most of the parts and components are here, save the pedals, NR brake calipers (may not be used) and a set of 3ttt bars, and things like cables and the saddle will be dug up this week ahead. Once everything is here I will finish the cleaning then its assembly time. Pics of progress will be posted, as requested.

Bill

sloar 

Looks great Bill, can't wait to see it built up.

qcpmsame 

I mentioned that I thought this frameset had belonged to a member here, @flash2070, and that it had been posted previously. Here is his thread about his acquiring the complete bike. https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...-prestige.html

It looks to be the same frame, not sure if it was parted out or what, if mine is the same one as the bike shown. Many of the blemishes mine has match up with the bike shown. Not a big deal for me, just a coincidence most likely.

Also, if anyone knows what the correct Columbus decal for the seat tube should be, please speak up. Mine is just a few fragments of the original, and I cannot make anything out that will help in finding the correct one. It will be greatly appreciated.

Saguaro

My understanding is the Tommasini Prestige has Columbus SL tubesets and the Super Prestige has Columbus SLX tubesets. My Competizione is Columbus SL.

Saguaro

You need to finish that! !!! Such a beautiful frameset. Going to make a great rider with the setup shown.

jimmuller 

Bill, I look forward to seeing your progress. I just posted a few pics of today's progress in the Tommasini Lounge.

gomango

The problem is I have RA in my hands and can't build much anymore.

Heck, even stretching new tires on rims is a chore.

Chrome Molly said he'd build it for me if I can get it over to his house.

It really could be an exceptional Italian racer.

Not a bad looker either, but the frameset is a bit rough in spots.

qcpmsame 

Heck Grady, RA is a trial, but try my world for a bit. Parkinson's Disease is a new dance every morning. As Davis said paraphrasing, its rock and roll every day, and dancing isn't optional, its mandatory.

Never knew you had RA to deal with, man I have friends and family with it. That is some bad Juju there, I'm permanently adding to you to the world famous, "Bill's Prayer List". Rock on my friend.

Back to Tommasini stuff: It will be sporting either another Selle San Marco Concor Supercorsa, or a Selle San Marco Rolls. Tape for bar wrap will be either Brooks or Velox Tressostar, and cable housing will most likely be standard Campagnolo black, but nothing is written in stone.

Bill

gomango

Thank you sir.

Your Tommasini will be truly gorgeous.

Hang in there!

Ride-Fly

Sweet Tommasini Bill! Are you going period correct with DT shifters or forgo that PC stuff and go Ergo like our good friend Gomango???

Also, I'm sorry to read about your PD Bill, and your RA Grady!

daf1009

Had one like this...look forward to seeing the build!

qcpmsame 

No worries Grady, and I hope that I wasn't rude towards you, in hindsight I felt bad, but you replied so quickly. We have to manage with the hand we get dealt. Mine is not a real stopper, yours can be a real task killer.

Ride-Fly, I have been diagnosed since Nov 2014, I am fine with my situation, not that I can change it. My line above the avatar block sums up my feelings about bicycles as well as anything else I could say.

Now, lets build and talk about C&V bikes my friends.

Bill

Kevindale

If those are the same frames (too hard for me to tell without having better photos of yours), it appears it lost the Columbus sticker in the last few years. One thing I've noticed is that on these old Tommasinis the Tommasini decals hold up very well, while the Columbus stickers are often missing (as on mine). Check inside the steerer tube for the 5 spiral ridges that indicate SL/SP, which this frameset likely is. SL/SP also take a 27.2 seatpost. I thought mine might be SP, given that it's 58 cm ctc, but careful measurement tells me it's SL.

If you feel/look inside the BB and see helical reinforcements in the seat tube then it's SLX or SPX. The consensus is that SL is for Prestige, and SLX is for Super Prestige, but oddly in the most complete Tommasini catalogue out there (which appears to me to be from around 1985), it specifically cites SL tubing for both Prestige and Super Prestige.

Kevindale

Here's the catalogue page I referred to above. This catalogue appears to be from about 1985 as best I can tell.

jimmuller 

Okay, Bill. I'm laying down the challenge to get that bike built and on the road!

qcpmsame 

Challenge away Big Jim, but I am still collecting the parts. My pedals are supposedly leaving Macedonia, well from Belgrade to be exact according to tracking, and its got to have its wheelset trued. I rebuilt them last weekend used new spokes and nipples, DT Swiss 2.0, stainless steel, swaged and brass nipples laced the X2, its 36h low-flange F/R. Hubs are NR and the rims are Mavic GP4, I laced them and got them close as I am able, and our LBS will true and tension them this week.

I installed the bottom bracket this evening, and the forks got polished, I began painting the details on the fork crown, pics when I am finished tomorrow. The seat tube was cleaned out and then I took some 3M Scotchbrite and got things smoothed out, the SR seat post slid right in. Last thing done today was to press in the races for the head set once the head tube was thoroughly cleaned on the inside.

@Kevindale, I read through all of that particular Tommasini catalog, it is '85 as you thought. I'm still not certain of the year mine is though.

I inspected the tubing when it arrived and it is Columbus SL. The Columbus decal is down to a few fragments, that is going to be removed and replaced shortly, along with the knackered Columbus fork emblems. You can see the remaining decal fragments left, and one shot shows a paint scrape that seems to match up with the frameset I mentioned from here. Perhaps the previous owner parted this one out and Stan acquired the frameset. No telling what transpired.